Lighting fixture



Jun 30, 1959 A. LEICHTUNG 2,892,929

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 11', 1958' ATTORNEY 2,892,929 ALIGHTINGFIXTURE Arthur Leichtung, Roslyn, l Application February 11, 195s,seriaiN. 214,525l

i 3 claims. (cima-7s) This invention relates to drop electric lightingfixtures and particularly to the shade-supporting means therefor. Suchxturesv are usually suspended by a cord or cable passing around aconcealed pulley so that the xtur'e may be raised bodily or lowered toany selected height `within a wide range. A switch is frequentlyprovided von the xture which customarily includes a pluralityofindividual lamp sockets.

The present invention contemplates the provision of simple, durable -andinexpensive but eicient expansible and contractible means for sosupporting the glass shade of such fixtures as to enable the user tolower and to tilt the shade quickly and easily when the lamps or otherparts are to be cleaned, repaired or replaced, while the shade remainsattached to the remainder of the fixture.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a frame having a xedpart symmetrical about the vertical axis of the xtureanda movable partand arranged around the lamp sockets for supporting the shade forconvenient lowering and tilting while permitting ready access to thefixture switch and positively securing the shade in the normal raised oroperative` position thereof.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a partial vertical sectional view and partial elevational viewof `the iixture, certain parts having `been broken away for clarity, andthe lowered and tilted position of the shade being shown by dash-dotlines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevationalpview thereof with parts ybroken away or insection and a somewhat different canopy shown above the reflector.v

Fig; 3 is `a top plan view of Fig. l but with the reflector and canopyomitted to expose the underlying parts.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary expanded side elevational view of theconnections between the shade and its support showing a modified form ofthe removable nut for positively maintaining the shade in the uppermostposition thereof and used where no switch is provided on the fixture.

As shown, the cord or cable is of the usual type employed in drop lightfixtures, passing around a pulley requiring no illustration, and adaptedto be extended or wound up to raise or lower the entire lighting fixtureas a unit. The `cable contains the wiring to the multiple lamp socketmember 11, in which four interconnected sockets are shown, and issuitably connected to the xture in a well known manner. The multiplesocket member is arranged co-axially of the fixture in a generallyhorizontal plane and is tixedly connected to a suitable canopy as 12(Fig. l) or 13 (Fig. 2) by connections which serve also to support thedownwardly convex reflector 14, part of which is shown in Figs. l and 2.Such connections include a bracket 15 of strip material and bent intogenerally inverted V-shape to form downwardly divergent legs connectedat their upper ends by a somewhat widened and perforated end web 17,through which passes the nipple 16. The lower end portion of each leg isbent into a horizontal position and riveted as at V,18 to the socketmember 11. The lower end of the nipple United States Patent OJ from.

16 is headed and fixed permanently to the under face of the end web 17,.the nipple projecting upwardly there- The internally threaded connectingnipple 19 is screwed on tothe lower nipple 16 and also on to theexternally threaded upper nipple 20 which passes loosely through a holein the fixed member 21 of .the contractible and expansibleshade-supporting frame soon to be described. `The nipple 20 also passesthrough the central holev22 of the reflector, through the canopy andinto the locking nutl23. When said nut is tightened, the canopyreflector and tixed frame member 21 are pressed against the connectingnipple 19 and are ixed to the bracket 15 and socket member 11 as well asto the cable 10, Vand are raised and lowered as -a unit on theretraction and ex tension of the cable.

As has been indicated, the frame is provided for so supporting thefixture shade, that the shade may readily be lowered and tilted whendesired. The frame comprises the fixed frame member 21 and a movableframe member 29, the frame being in a generally vertical plane .andencompassing a space in which the socket member 11 is arranged. Saidmember 11 is shown as arranged in a generally horizontal plane, but withthe axes of the individual sockets thereof extending diagonally of theframe for convenience of access thereto. The xed frame member 21 ispreferably of strip material and is bent into the form of an inverted U,the upright parallel legs 24, 25 being connected at the upper endsthereof by the transverse web 26. Said legs are spaced far enoughapartto pass around and to clear the sockets (Fig. 3) and any `lampsheld thereby, the frame enclosing a rectangular space and being coaxialwith the socket member and vthe remainder of the fixture.l To permitextension and con- `slides a pivot pin in the form of the rivet 28,which is fastened permanently to the movable U-shaped frame vmember 29having upright parallel legs 30, 31 sliding vertically on the respectivelegs 24, 25 of the fixed frame member to the position indicated by thedash-dot lines of Figs-land 2. The legs 30 and 31 are connected at thelower ends thereof by the horizontal web 32`having a central holetherein in which is iixed against movement the downwardly extendingexternally threaded nipple 33, which passes loosely through a centralhole in the shade 34. Said'shade is interposed ybetween the web 32 ofthe movable frame member 29 and the shade-securing nut 35 on therelatively short nipple 33 and thereby moves as a unit with the movableframe member when permitted to do so. This occurs when the shade isdisconnected from the socket member 11, to which it is normallyconnected in its operative or uppermost position, by connections soon tobe described. When so disconnected, the pins 28 can slide downwardly inand to the bottoms of the slots 27, and the shade can also be swungabout the pins 28 as pivots to provide ready access to the lamps and tothe interior of the ixture.

The shade is detachably connected to the socket member 11 and thereby tothe iixed parts of the fixture by the nut 36 which screws on to theexternally threaded and relatively long nipple 37. Said nipple is xedagainst movement to the horizontal connecting portion 38 of thegenerally V-shaped lower bracket 39, which is similar to the bracket 15and is secured in a like manner to the under side of the socket member11 as at 40. The smaller nipple 33 has a hole therethrough ofsufficiently large diameter to permit the longer nipple 37 to telescopethereinto and to project therethrough downwardly enough for easyengagement with the shade-securing nut 36, which positively locks theshade in the uppermost or operative position thereof when the nut 36 istightened.

In the -form shown Yin Figs. 1 and 2, the nut 36 is hollow throughoutand the switch knob 41 normally projects therethrough and can readily beoperated when desired to open and close the switch 42` carried by thebracket 39 and controlling the current to thev lamps 43. When the shadeis to be lowered, the securing nut 36 is removed from the nipple 37,permitting the larger in diameter but shorter nipple 33, the nut 35,shade 34, frame member 29 and pins 28 to drop as a unit withoutvdisturbing the switch or the switch knob 41. To replace the parts inthe normal operative positions thereof, the shade is raised enough totelescope the nipple 33 into the nipple 37 and until the former engagesthe web 38, whereafter the nut 36 is replaced on the nipple 37 andtightened. When the shade is raised, the pivot pins 28 move upwardly inthe slots 27 to guide the shade into its uppermost position as it moves.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the fixture switch and its control knob areomitted, and the shade-securing nut 44 is closed at the bottom. It willbe seen that the shade is adequately held up by the nut provided forthat purpose; that removal of the nut permits the shade and theYassociated parts to drop and tilt without danger of loss of control ofthe shade; that the frame support is inexpensive and durable and adaptedfor use with axially arranged sockets or sockets occupying relativelylarge areas without detracting from the symmetry of the fixture and thatthe xture is well designed to carry 'out its intended purposes. Whilecertain specific forms of the invention have herein been shown anddescribed, various obvious changes may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of the yinvention defined by the appended claims.

I claim: A

1. In an electric lighting fixture, a contractible and -extensible framecomprising a movable U-shaped vframe nember having parallel uprightlegs, a fixed frame member of inverted U-shape having parallel uprightlegs, the legs of said movable member overlapping the corresponding legsof the fixed member, a pin and slot connection Ibetween adjacentcorresponding legs of the members, a multi-lamped socket member fixed tothe fixed member between the legs and between the tops and bottoms ofsaid members, a shade secured to the movable member, a nipple dependingfrom the socket member and adapted to pass through the shade in thecontracted position of the frame, a nut on the nipple in said position,the frame members, socket member and shade being in coaxial relation,means securing the shade to the movable member comprising a secondnipple fixed to the movable member and having an opening therethrough-for the passage of the first mentioned nipple, the second nipple beingshorter than the first mentioned nipple, a second nut on the secondnipple clamping the shade to the movable member, a switch for and infixed relation to the socket member, and a switch operating memberpassing through the first mentioned nipple and through the iirstmentioned nut.

2. In an electric lighting fixture, a multi-lamped socket member, afixed reector in upward spaced relation to the member, a shade in-downward spaced relation to the member, means fixedly connecting themember and the reliector in coaxial relation, a frame comprising a fixedmember of strip material and of inverted U-shape having a pair ofupright rigid parallel legs integrally joined at the upper ends thereofby la web having a central opening therein, each leg having an uprightslot therein terminating at a point in upward spaced relation to thelowest part of the leg, means fixing the fixed member to and in vcoaxialrelation to the reflector and the socket member, a movable frame memberof strip material and of U-shape having a pair of upright rigid parallellegs integrally joined at the lowest ends thereof by a web having acentral hole therein, each of the legs of the movable frame memberrespectively overlapping the corresponding leg of the fixed framemember, a pin fixed to each of the legs of the movable member andentering the slot of the corresponding leg of the fixed member, meansincluding an element passing through and fixed in the hole of the web ofthe movable member and passing loosely through the shade, to secure theshade to the last mentioned web, a nipple projecting loosely throughsaid means and fixed to and in coaxial relation to the socket member,and a nut removably engaging the nipple and the shade-securing meanswhen the movable member is in the uppermost position thereof at theupper part of the nipple, the nut thereby securing the shade positivelyin said position.

3. The fixture of claim 2, the element comprising a second nippleprojecting downwardly through the shade and shorter than the firstmentioned nipple, and the shade-securing ymeans including a second nutengaging the second nipple under the shade and clamping the shadeagainst the web of the movable frame member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,568,893 Krauthamer Sept. 25, 1951 2,636,978 Williamson Apr. 28, 19532,820,888 yFekete Ian. 21, 1958

